Portia: if you like it, please tell me your thoughts!

I am American with a British husband and we just named our new uk-born baby daughter Portia.

We know it's rare, but assumed it was recognised enough to work on both sides of the pond as we are both entirely familiar with it. We like the elegance of it and the Shakespeare reference (my husband was totally wowed by Portia in the merchant of Venice when he read it in school!).

I have been surprised at the number of people who have asked how to spell it, which spooked me at first like they'd never heard of it! Also we have had a couple of jokey porsche car comments (one from a ten year old to be fair).

Those of you who like the name, would you find the apparent rarity of the name a positive, or a frustration due to the need for some explanation to some people?

I think more people would be familiar with it than not, especially with the occasional celebrity like Portia de Rossi keeping it relevant in the public consciousness. Sure it might be a little troublesome to explain the rich history of the name to people who first think of the car, but unlike, say, Mercedes or Bentley, Portia is a different word than Porsche, which should help; if you love it, it's worth it.

I do love the name. I find the meaning cute, not negative, and Portia from The Merchant of Venice is one of my favorite Shakespeare heroines (although almost all the characters in the play are a bit problematic if you delve much into it) - intelligent, witty, resourceful, and proactive.

I really like the name Portia! It sounds elegant and I love the Shakespeare reference. I have a rare name that it seems should still be familiar to people but many have not heard of it or do not know how to spell it. This has never bothered me though and any confusion that occurs usually leads to a nice conversation about the meaning behind the name. I think your daughter will love her name!

I think Portia is gorgeous! It's so elegant, and I'm a sucker for any kind of Shakespeare name. It's unfortunate that people will inevitably bring up the car, but hey, it's a good excuse to introduce people to your daughter's awesome literary namesake.